Sonny Hill : Biography, The Sonny Hill League, Awards and honors Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sonny Hill

American basketball player and announcer

William Randolph "Sonny" Hill (born July 22, 1936) is an American former announcer. He is a member of the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame,^[1] and current sports radio personality in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also serves as an executive advisor for the Philadelphia 76ers. He is known as Mr. Basketball^[2] and "The Mayor of Basketball"^[1] in Philadelphia for founding the eponymous Sonny Hill League and for his many contributions to the game.

Biography

Early life

Hill was born and raised in Philadelphia. After graduating from Northeast High School in 1955,^[3] he attended college for two years and then joined the Eastern Basketball League.^[4]

Hill is the father of filmmaker K. Brent Hill.

Broadcasting career

Hill began his broadcast career in 1969 as a color commentator with Andy Musser for the Philadelphia 76ers. He was also a commentator with the NBA on CBS from 1973 until 1977.^[5] He has hosted a weekly show on SportsRadio 94 WIP since 1987.

The Sonny Hill League

The Sonny Hill Community Involvement League is an amateur summer basketball organization in the Delaware Valley. The league was founded in 1968 as a safe haven from gang warfare and other violence. The league, which began as an extension of the Charles Baker Memorial League, today consists of more than 60 teams serving more than 800 student athletes.

Awards and honors

Hill received the Mannie Jackson Human Spirit Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b "INDUCTEES". Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
^ Steve Young (2008-08-06). "Sonny Hill: Humanitarian Hall of Famer - Making Basketball, Practice for the Real World".
^ Missanelli, M. G. (July 12, 1987). "Mr. Basketball A Hero For His Work With Teens, Sonny Hill Is Not Without Critics". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia Media Network (Digital) LLC. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
^ Tom Starner (1991-07-29). "In A League Of His Own". CNN.
^ Don McKee (2009-01-26). "Morning Report: Sonny Hill in broadcasting's big time".
^ "Mannie Jackson's Basketball Human Spirit Award". 2011-06-28.

External links

Sonny Hill League official website
Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame profile

NBA on CBS

Related programs

Commentators

Key figures

Play-by-play	Gary Bender Tim Brant Bob Costas Don Criqui Eddie Doucette Frank Glieber Greg Gumbel Jim Kelly Verne Lundquist Brent Musburger Andy Musser Jim Nantz Mike Patrick Don Robertson Dick Stockton Pat Summerall
Color commentators	John Andariese Rick Barry Hubie Brown Elgin Baylor James Brown Quinn Buckner Doug Collins Billy Cunningham Terry Dischinger Len Elmore Keith Erickson John Havlicek Tom Heinsohn Rod Hundley Gus Johnson Steve Jones Sonny Jurgensen Stu Lantz Kevin Loughery Pete Maravich Jon McGlocklin Dick Motta Jeff Mullins Billy Packer Bill Raftery Cal Ramsey Oscar Robertson Mendy Rudolph Bill Russell Cazzie Russell Lynn Shackelford Larry Steele Lenny Wilkens
Sideline reporters	Charlsie Cantey Jane Chastain Irv Cross Jim Gray Sonny Hill Dan Jiggetts Andrea Joyce Pat O'Brien Lesley Visser

NBA Finals

All-Star Game

Lore

Rivalries	Bulls–Cavaliers Bulls–Pistons Celtics–Lakers Celtics–Pistons Lakers–Pistons 76ers–Celtics rivalry

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF
National	United States

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